Margaret A. Kidd joined University of Houston, College of Technology, Construction Management Department in fall 2016, as an Instructional Assistant Professor, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology (SCLT). In August of 2018 she was promoted to Program Director for the SCLT BS degree program and in 2022 was promoted to Instructional Associate Professor.

Currently she serves as a liaison for the Exporters Competitive Maritime Council – Education Committee, Port of Houston Partners in Maritime Education, Liaison to Houston Electric League, Energy Industries Council, North & Central America Regional Advisory Board, Houston Maritime Center Board of Trustees, East End Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board and is the Education Ambassador for North America, Mexico, Panama, and Brazil for the Chartered Institute of Logistics Transport. In her role as Program Director, Margaret has developed a “global powerhouse” advisory board. Within the SCLT program, Margaret has negotiated partnerships with globally recognized professional organizations to launch certificate programs benefiting both students and the regional workforce. These partnerships include, the National Customs Brokers For-warders Association America, Chartered Institute Logistics & Transport, Association of Ship Brokers, and Agents (USA) Inc., and 4D-Supply Chain Consulting.

Margaret’s leadership and contribution to maritime/supply chain/logistics workforce competitiveness, and economic development efforts supporting the regional and national economy have recently been recognized by both KBR, Government Solutions, Port of Houston Community Grants, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Many have seen Margaret in 2020 and 2021 in the media including, BBC World News, Fox Morning with Maria, Fox Sunday Night in America with Trey Goudy, NPR, CNBC, Transport Topics, and local TV networks discussing supply chain disruption and solutions. As a popular panelist and moderator for academic and industry conferences, Margaret spoke in 2022 at ASCM, Turnaround Management Association, Fort Bend Chamber Commerce Infrastructure, UH Board of Visitors, Port of the Future, PCB, ASCM Innovation Summit, Energy Industries Council North and Central America, Houston Maritime Center, Port Region Supply Chain Forum, Harris County CPA Accounting Expo, UK Energy Export Conference and is scheduled fall 2022 to speak at the Southeast Texas Transportation Summit, Fort Bend Infrastructure, Southeast Texas Association of Public Procurement, West Point Society Greater Houston, Brazoria Economic Development Alliance Infrastructure, and Katy Chamber of Commerce.

Margaret has a BBA in General Business, MA in Cross-Cultural Studies, and has over 60 Doctoral credit hours in Urban Planning & Environmental Policy with an emphasis on port-city interface, sustainability, and economic development.

Geir-Eilif Kalhagen brings over three decades of direct experience in the Global Supply Chain, with an emphasis and core proficiencies in the Maritime sector, global logistics and international commerce.

This broad level of experience has been acquired during International deployment in S.E. Asia, Asia, North America, and Europe. Mr. Kalhagen global experience in the private sector along with his tenure as CEO and Executive Director in the Washington State Public Port system has led to recognition and appointments to National and International organizations. He has served as the First Vice President of the Americas for the International Association of Ports and Harbors. In addition serving on the strategic sub planning committee and the northwest caucus for the American Association of Port Authorities.

Kalhagen was equally recognized on the state level serving as Vice Chair for the Washington Public Ports Association. Washington Governor Jay Inslee also appointed Kalhagen to the Freight Mobility strategic investment Board. Mr. Kalhagen presently serves as the Director of the Maritime division for the Texas Department of Transportation

Geir-Eilif Kalhagen is recognized as an authoritative voice on the confluence of private maritime industry and public port management and has been a guest speaker on several topics for the American Association of Public Ports. Kalhagen has also contributed to discussions for Eastern Washington University MBA programs as well as guest speaking at the University of Oregon Executive MBA program. Mr. Kalhagen has partnered with Lamar University in the development of a Port- focused Master’s program

Kalhagen holds an MBA from the University of Oregon, BA in Philosophy and Political Science from the University of South Alabama, and an AS in Business Management from Norwalk Community College.

In addition he also earned a U.S.C.G. Limited Masters and a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Brian Hill serves as the U.S. Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) Director of the Western Gulf Gateway Office based in Houston, Texas, since late 2011. As MARAD’s Western Gulf Gateway Director, Brian’s area of responsibility includes all the ports, waterways, and intermodal connections and corridors in Texas and Oklahoma. In this position, the Gateway Director works with local Texas and Oklahoma ports and other intermodal industries and responsible agencies, to improve and strengthen the U.S. marine transportation system. Brian retired as a Coast Guard Commander and brought a diverse maritime transportation, port security, regulatory, planning, and maritime/admiralty law background to the U.S. Department of Transportation and MARAD.

Brian’s most recent position prior to MARAD with the U.S. Coast Guard was as the Chief of the Eleventh Coast Guard District’s Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security Section from 2006 to 2011. In this position, he oversaw overall planning for the port security mission in all ports in California, including Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Diego, and San Francisco/Oakland. His duties also included ensuring waterside security protection for military outload vessels loading equipment in California ports in support of the war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and planning with DOD and federal partners for joint operations.

Brian is also an experienced maritime law and Coast Guard (JAG) attorney. Among other positions, he served as a Coast Guard attorney in their Seventh District Office in Miami where he worked in maritime law cases, environmental crimes, and maritime security issues. Brian also worked several years as a Maritime and Admiralty Law attorney with a large law firm in Miami. During this time, he became one of only 56 attorneys in Florida that is Board Certified by the Florida Bar as a Specialist in Admiralty and Maritime Law. After a few years with the law firm representing shipping and port facility interests, he returned to active duty with the Coast Guard until his retirement.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Florida International University, a law degree (J.D.) from the St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, and a master’s degree in Security Studies (Homeland Defense and Security) from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.

Julio R. Gonzalez is currently a Supervisory Protective Security Advisors (SPSA) with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Region 6, assigned to Houston, Texas and responsible for overseen the PSA program in the Gulf of Mexico. Julio is a subject matter expert in critical infrastructure and vulnerability assessments; he has facilitated physical and cyber security assessments and provided security guidance on established best practices to a vast variety of critical infrastructure organizations.

Prior to joining CISA, he served as a Port Security Specialist for the U. S. Coast Guard, Sector Houston-Galveston, responsible for all regional security and recovery plans, exercises, and port risk assessments for critical infrastructure located in Freeport, Galveston, Texas City and Houston, Texas. Previously he served as a Commissioned Officer in the U. S. Coast Guard as a Response Officer specialized in Law Enforcement, Emergency Management, and Search and Rescue.

During his career, Julio has been involved in the planning and execution of a myriad of incident management and security operations. Most recently, in 2017, he served as the Deputy Planning Section Chief during Hurricane Harvey response with the U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Houston-Galveston.

Julio holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Education from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Strategic Leadership from Mountain State University. His awards include the: Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, and Coast Guard Civilian Service Commendation Medal. Julio is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico and is fully bi-lingual (Spanish/English).

Dr. DiRenzo is a retired Coast Guard officer, who spent nine years in the Navy, in both the submarine and surface warfare communities. In 1991 he transitioned to the United States Coast Guard and was assigned to several cutters including command of USCGC JEFFERSON ISLAND. In 1999, Dr. DiRenzo was detailed as the inaugural Coast Guard Liaison Officer assigned to the CONSTELLATION Strike Group deployed to the Arabian Gulf. In 2000 he was assigned to Atlantic Area, held seven different positions including Division Chief before rising to the Senior Advisor to the Commander for Science, Technology, Innovation and Research position. In October 2015 he moved to New London Connecticut and assumed his current position at the USCG Research and Development Center.

Dr. DiRenzo is one of the most published authors in Coast Guard history. His latest article is scheduled to be published by the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings in March of 2022. A five-time winner of the service’s prestigious JOC Alex Haley award, he has published over 350 articles on various maritime terrorism and port security topics. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute at the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana. He is Northeast Deputy Regional Coordinator for the Federal Lab Consortium. He is also the RDC Liaison to the Naval Postgraduate School. Finally, he is a fourteen-time national Co-Chair of the Maritime Risk Symposium (the 2022 event will be at ARGONNE National Lab) and was the co-editor of the first ever textbook focused on maritime cyber security – Issues In Maritime Cybersecurity (Westphalia).

Dr. DiRenzo is a 1982 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, holds a Master’s in Business Administration from California Coast University, and is a graduate of both the Naval War College and Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Homeland Security Specialization) in 2007 at Northcentral University in Prescott AZ. He teaches for American Military University and Northcentral University. Dr. DiRenzo is married to retired Navy Nurse Corps Captain and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Karen DiRenzo. They have two children Joe IV, a Mergers and Acquisitions banker and Lauren an Intermediate School teacher.

Jeff DeCoux is the Founder and Chairman of the Autonomy Institute and President/Chief Executive Officer – ATRIUS Industries, Inc. The Autonomy Institute is a 501c3 consortium of over 100 industry, government, and academia organizations.

Its core focus is accelerating the “Path to Commerce” for Intelligent and Autonomous Infrastructure and autonomous systems. His past positions include: Founder and CEO Hangar Technologies, Inc., eCustomers, Inc., SMART Technologies, Inc., and SMARTNAP.

Mr. DeCoux has over 30 years of experience within the high-tech industries where his attention has been focused on Founding companies that enhance business productivity through automation. During that time he has raised over $100 million for venture and business operations.

Investment in a 21st-century Intelligent & Autonomous Infrastructure is among the highest priorities for stimulating economic expansion, job growth, national security and resilience. Edge computing, 5G wireless, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and an ultra-resilient electrical grid will drive the largest infrastructure buildout in our nation’s history.

This next-generation infrastructure will enable the digital and physical, autonomous world fueling a trillion-dollar economic expansion. This infrastructure will create new highways to support more efficient mobility, automated city services, autonomous cars and trucks, autonomous shuttles, air taxis, inspection drones, and many newer intelligent city applications.

Mr. DeCoux is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ATRIUS Industries, Inc. With the unprecedented advancement in autonomous robotics, ATRIUS was founded to leverage these new innovations effect massive change across the industry. ATRIUS is working with an ecosystem of partners to develop the Highways and Byways to support more efficient mobility, automated city services, autonomous cars, and trucks, autonomous shuttles, air taxis, inspection drones, and many intelligent city applications. ATRIUS works with leading partners that focus on smart cities, autonomous systems, advanced wireless networks, radars, UTM, position-navigation-timing, and Intelligent infrastructure supporting autonomy.

Jeffrey DeCoux was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hangar Technology, Inc. Hangar had a goal of achieving a $100 billion savings by 2025 by producing dramatic impacts on productivity and driving efficiency across some of the most demanding industries. Hangar worked with the leading ENR400 companies that focus on construction, infrastructure, telecommunications, and mega projects worldwide. Hangar developed the leading autopilot software used in 195 countries, by over 100,000 operators and executed one million missions worldwide.

In his prior experience, Mr. DeCoux was President and CEO of eCustomers, Inc. a leading provider of Enterprise Customer Response software. eCustomers raised over $30 million in financing and developed a leadership Board that included visionaries Allan Loren (Executive VP at American Express); Bobby Martin (CIO, President of Walmart International); Lou Hughes (President of GM International) and Gerald Storch (Vice Chairman of Target). eCustomers was acquired in 2002.

Mr. DeCoux was a Founder and President/CEO of SMART Technologies, a leading provider of Enterprise Relationship Management (ERM) software. Mr. DeCoux led SMART through its incredible growth to hundreds of employees; the recruitment of a strong management team and board including Jimmy Treybig (founder of Tandem), Andrew Heller (IBM Fellow) and Peter Solvik (CIO at Cisco). Investors included Goldman Sachs, SAP and Austin Ventures and worked with Fortune 100 corporations as customers. Mr. DeCoux assured the acquisition of SMART Technologies by i2, which amounted to over a billion-dollar acquisition.

SMART Technologies had also created a subsidiary called SMARTNAP. SMARTNAP Corporation was the largest colocation provider of Internet services in Central Texas. SMARTNAP provided dedicated fiber connections into BBNet, AT&T, MCI, and Time Warner. In 1998, SMARTNAP was successfully acquired by Level 3 Communications.

Mr. DeCoux holds a deep knowledge of the technology industry and a lifelong passion for innovation. He enjoys working with young engineers that have a passion for new innovation or product advancement. He also has a passion for hands-on technology, embedded systems, robotics, and most of all – anything autonomous. He is active in his communities and serves as Director for his Community Association.

David Cummins is President of the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, a non-profit, strategic alliance formed to accelerate the transition of waterborne transportation in Canada and the United States toward net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Prior to his current role, Cummins worked as an executive with Shell with more than 35 years’ experience covering many locations around the world as well as many diverse businesses and skill areas.  Cummins was Shell’s Commercial and Business Development Manager for Shipping & Maritime, Americas, and before that served as Vice President of Shell Korea Limited, managing relationships with Korean shipyards and heavy industry. Cummins previously contributed to Shell’s success in technical management, global strategy development, commercial deal making, new business development, strategic customer account management, divestment and portfolio deal teams, capital project planning & execution, and change management/corporate redesign.

Cummins is a frequent speaker with various organizations on topics including Shipping Sectoral Decarbonization, Global/International Account Management, Strategy Development, Negotiation/Deal Making and Cultural Differences between Western and Asian Countries. In his personal time Cummins is an avid golfer and photographer and is also sole proprietor of a timber tract operations company in the US.

Kevin Clement is a Homeland Security and Emergency Management professional at the University of Houston where he serves as Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships at the College of Technology and the Borders, Trade, and Immigration (BTI) Institute. Mr. Clement has significant expertise in strategic and operational planning, anti-terrorism and border security operations, critical infrastructure security and resilience, and continuity of operations.

At the University of Houston, Mr. Clement serves as Director of the Security and Strategic Trade Management Academy, a Department of State course in nonproliferation for foreign trade officials. He has directed the annual Port of the Future Conference and the Conference to Combat Human Trafficking: Research and Technology since their inception. He was the co-chair and host of the 2021 Maritime Risk Symposium.

From 2017-2021, Mr. Clement led the effort to develop a Unified Regional Response to a Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack in the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETPRC). He instituted a  research-based approach to review terrorist and Active Attacks and a doctrinal review of guidance from government and professional law enforcement and medical organizations. As part of this effort, he conducted a series of seven Homeland Security Workshops in the functional areas of: Tactical Response (2), Medical Response, Public Information, Intelligence, Operational Communications, and Victims and Family Services (2). Mr. Clement planned and conducted tabletop exercises for tactical response, medical response, and Executive Leadership to a Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack for leaders and first responders from Jefferson, Orange, and Hardin Counties. He led the development of a Unified Regional Response Plan for the South East Texas Region. As a result of this effort, he produced bi-lingual Emergency Message templates, template response plans, Compendium of Federal Assets, the Community Action Plan, synchronization matrices, drills for first responders, and draft policies for areas of concern. He trained first responders in their use. He was the primary planner and director of the culminating full-scale exercise OPERATION GOLDEN TRIANGLE in May 2021. Mr. Clement later produced a series of eight (8) Homeland Security symposia in 2021-2022 for the City of Houston.

Mr. Clement came to Texas in 2009, as the senior planner and later the Director, Emergency Management Group for Abrams Learning and Information Systems, (ALIS). He worked in the Texas Border Security Operations Center in support of the State of Texas in homeland security, border security, emergency management, and intelligence analysis. He was responsible for coordinating border security support requirements to include planning, preparation, response and mitigation activities for the State of Texas, Council of Governments, counties, and municipalities. In this capacity, he wrote and coordinated: the State of Texas border security operations plan, Operation BORDER STAR 2010, and the six sector plans for Coastal Bend, Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, Del Rio, Marfa, and El Paso; the Joint Operations and Intelligence Centers Common Operating Procedures; and the State of Texas Support Plan for Super Bowl XLV. After reorganization of Texas Department of Safety’s roles and responsibilities for borders security, he served as a consultant to the Texas Rangers for whom he advised on security during the trial of members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints and created contingency plans for the Texas Response to Terrorist Attack and Significant Criminal Attacks; Response Plan to Prison Violence; and Response Plan to Prison Escape. He developed training exercises, operations orders, and conducted After Action Reports for the Texas Ranger Reconnaissance Team. He wrote the Operation Border Star Orientation Guide, and Standard Operating Procedures for the Texas Rangers Reconnaissance Team. He was a co-author of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Contingency Plan for Cross Border Violence.

Mr. Clement served in the Texas Office of Homeland Security from December 2012 – October 2016. In this capacity he authored the Texas Critical Infrastructure Protection and Resiliency Plan (TISR), its accompanying Action Plan, and Texas’ Guide to Critical Infrastructure Working Groups. He led the 2013-2016 Continuity of Operations (COOP) planning and exercise initiative for Texas state agencies. At the request of FEMA, he developed and co-facilitated two national webinars on Continuity of Operations. Mr. Clement was the driving force behind joint DHS-Texas pilot programs to operationalize the Resilience Implementation Process, the development of Critical Supply Chain (Oil and Natural Gas) Workshops; and design of a template for Regional Disaster Resilience Action Plans. He led the Texas initiative to revise and enact the new Bomb-Making Materials Awareness Program (BMAP) and the implementation of the Multi-Jurisdiction IED Security Planning Program in Texas municipalities. He initiated and led in the development of the state’s Preventive Radiological and Nuclear Detection Program and facilitated the Texas Nuclear Sector Working Group.

Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Clement served in the active Army for 23 years, leaving service when he became a single parent of three daughters. During his career, he served with distinction in operational and command assignments in light infantry and armored infantry units.  He spent 10 years of service in overseas assignments in Korea and Europe.

Assigned to the Pentagon in 1992, he was diverted from his original assignment to Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations (War Plans) at the request of the Deputy Chief of Staff (Personnel) in the wake of Congressional hearings on the Navy Tailhook Scandal. LTC Clement was tasked to overhaul the Army Equal Opportunity Program and Army plans, policies, and programs as they related to Equal Opportunity for soldiers and their families. He significantly restructured the Army’s Equal Opportunity Complaint Procedures; revised AR 600-20 Army Command Policy and created the Department of the Army’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment Action Plans (I & II). These policies and program initiatives were signed into law as the Mosely-Brown Amendment to the 1995 National Defense Authorization Act, requiring their adoption by the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. LTC Clement briefed the House Armed Services Committee Task Force on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services (1993) and served as Expert Advisor to the Undersecretary of the Army for the March 1994 House Armed Services Committee Congressional Hearings on Sexual Harassment. He authored the Army’s Report to Congress on Strategies to Eradicate Sexual Harassment (1993), and  the Army’s Report to Congress on Treatment of Women in the Military (1993); and the  Department of the Army Pamphlet on Prevention of Sexual Harassment.  

LTC Clement led the Policy Team for the Secretary of the Army’s Task Force on Extremism (1995-1996) and was primary author of its final report and current policy to combat extremism in the Army. He authored the Army’s Whistleblower Policy. Due to the success of this work,  he was a highly requested consultant on command culture and policy development, serving as an advisor to then Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Boorda, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Royal Canadian Defense Ministry, the Australian Defense Ministry, the Defense Intelligence Agency, U. S. Public Health Commission, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Maryland State Police. He conducted discrete inquiries/investigations into political and media sensitive issues as directed by the Secretary of the Army and the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs).

Mr. Clement is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and a Distinguished Honor Graduate (summa cum laude) of the U.S. Naval War College with a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. He has also received a master’s degree in  International Relations at Salve Regina University. An accomplished trainer and planner, he is a Certified Emergency Manager (CEM); a Texas Emergency Manager (TEM); and a FEMA Master Continuity Practitioner.

Mr. Clement has served on the DHS State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Government Coordinating Council (SLTTGCC) (2013-2016) where he served as Co-Chair of the Regional Initiatives Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee.

He is a Distinguished Member of the Advisory Board for the University of Houston’s Center for Logistics and Transportation Policy, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Institute for Homeland Security at Sam Houston State University.

Mr. Clement is married to Maureen (Hutt) Clement, of Hudson, Massachusetts.

Rich Byrnes is the Chief Port Infrastructure Officer for Port Houston, with responsibility to steward more than two billion dollars in physical assets, and a multi-functional organization tasked with a dual value proposition of supporting public transportation and trade needs of the region, enabling an efficient and effective base for port operations. The port’s Infrastructure division’s areas of responsibility include facilities and master planning, strategic asset management, the non-federal role in ship channel management, road and rail freight mobility and environment.

Mr. Byrnes’ career experience spans engineering, operations and consulting across shipbuilding, ports, manufacturing and oil and gas industries, and working with Fortune 100 corporations, state-owned enterprises and governments on every continent. He began his career managing supply chain and wintering over at the South Pole, Antarctica and then as an oil field engineer in the Middle East. Subsequently, he has consulted to ports and shipping companies in the East, West and Gulf Coasts, Latin America and Australia. He worked with upstream, downstream and petrochemicals clients in the Americas, Asia, Europe and Middle East and held executive positions at two global oilfield corporations. He has also been a Clinical Professor of Leadership at Texas A&M’s Mays Business School.

Mr. Byrnes holds two Master’s degrees from MIT, one in Ocean Systems Management and another in Technology and Policy. He has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and an Associate’s degree in mathematics from Long Beach City College. In addition, he has completed three leadership programs at Texas A&M’s Center for Executive Development. Mr. Byrnes and his family have lived in the Houston area since 1992, and in his spare time he promotes STEM education in local schools.